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Back when ASUS formally launched the PadFone, it trotted out a handful of accessories to go with it: a keyboard dock, tablet station and even a stylus that doubles as an earpiece. As it turns out, the outfit had even more goodies up its sleeve: we just spotted a PadFone docking monitor hanging out in the ASUS booth here at Computex. For starters, it is what it sounds like: a 27-inch display with a cradle designed specifically to accommodate the PadFone's dimensions. There are also HDMI, VGA, DVI and four USB 3.0 ports in case you want to use it as a standalone monitor.

When you plug in the handset, the display turns into an all-in-one PC, with Ice Cream Sandwich as your desktop OS. Since the 1920 x 1200 screen isn't touch-enabled, you'll have to get used to interacting with Android using only a mouse and keyboard. We'll admit: we would have preferred to just tap the home button instead of click on it, especially when we were ready to switch apps, but nonetheless, Android makes for an intuitive-enough desktop operating system, what with the home screen full of shortcuts. Funnily enough, even, we felt more comfortable using Android in a desktop setting than we did with Google Chrome OS, which was actually designed with PC form factors in mind. Otherwise, we found ourselves craving a little more pixel density, but we did appreciate the matte finish, which offers wide viewing angles despite the fact that this isn't an IPS display.

According to an ASUS rep staffing the event, the Docking Monitor will eventually go on sale in the US, though he couldn't say when or for how much. In the meantime, check out our hands-on photos and quickie demo video.

ASUS PadFone Docking Monitor hands-on

HTC's One V is invading Canada en masse, having just slipped into Bell and Koodo stores in the past few days. Internal documents slipped out to MobileSyrup would have Telus completing an unintentional troika: it's expected to ship the reborn Legend on June 8th. Pricing looks to be right in the middle of the pack, at $30 in Canuck bucks on a lengthy three-year contract but a still-manageable $290 contract-free. It's not as frugal as the $225 price Koodo asks, but if you're not eager to jump carriers just to get entry-level Android 4.0, there's now an abundance of choices.

Zing is right, because you probably didn't see this one coming. Haier, the Chinese consumer electronics company best known for air conditioners, refrigerators, and to a lesser extent, its home theater and mobile phone offerings, has just unleashed a durable phone for the home market with Alibaba's Aliyun OS. The handset is said to be waterproof, dust-proof and shock-proof, and from the looks of it, at least one of those claims is completely legit. The Zing features a 1GHz CPU, a 4-inch WVGA display and a 5-megapixel primary camera. A front-facing VGA shooter is also thrown in for good measure, and the phone will sell for ¥999 (approx. $157) when it hits shelves on June 15th. Perhaps HaiPad owners will consider purchasing a little companion for their tablet.

With only one year to go before iDEN bites the big one, Sprint's making sure subscribers steer clear of devices that run on the legacy service. The aging tech, famous for its walkie talkie-like feature, is now one foot solidly in the grave as the carrier's removed all compatible handsets from its lineup, as well as subsidiary Boost Mobile's. That those particular phones and accompanying network have reached a grand EOL status should come as no surprise -- the operator's been quite public about plans to shift existing push-to-talk subs to its newer CDMA-based DirectConnect service and clear up spectrum for a planned LTE rollout. Clearly, Hesse and co. have seen the future and they're no longer content to play catch up with handicapped smartphones.

We'd heard earlier that Google had "nothing to announce" in regard to Android compatibility with the newly-announced offline Maps support and 3D modeling, but look -- things change. We reached out to the company and urged 'em to dig a little deeper, only to have the following confirmed: "For offline Google Maps for Android, all devices with Android 2.2 (Froyo) and above will be supported." As for the 3D portion? "We'll have more details about device compatibility for 3D imagery on Google Earth for mobile at launch." After the event, we spotted a Googler using the 3D build on a Galaxy Nexus, so it's obvious that Android 4.0+ will be supported, but we have to assume that some of these older Froyo devices may simply lack the proper oomph needed to fly around the downtowns of [insert major metropolitan area here].

A Mini 2 to migrate you (okay, your Mum) from dumb to smart? That's just what Samsung intends to do as it makes the 3.27-inch Galaxy phone available across the UK this week. The wee Gingerbread handset, sporting a colorful sunny yellow plastic backing, is dressed to impress, but that's because this low-ender doesn't fuss with the specs. Under that cheerful casing lies a single-core 800MHz CPU, 512MB RAM, 4GB of storage and a 1,300mAh battery that should prove adequate for this pocket-sized affair. The company's certainly wary of how this slight fella might be perceived, so it's gone above and beyond the call of PR duty (see below) to make sure the world knows this is a phone for first-timers. We gave it a go back at MWC earlier this year and, despite its compact look and budget bearings, were please to note it packs just enough of a surprising performance punch. Hit up the break to peruse the self-conscious presser for yourself.

When Sammy said it was taking the Galaxy S III around the world, it really, really meant it. Having already launched in the UK, and with the US soon to follow, Samsung's newest flagship is now ready to debut across China. As expected, all three major carriers will be involved in the June 9th launch, which, of course, includes China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom. There's no word on pricing yet, but for the sake of your sanity, we hope the telcos won't ask for one too many yuans in exchange for that "human-centric" experience.

Kyocera and the FCC have become buddies lately. A couple weeks ago the waterproof Hydro got the go-ahead for United States use, and today we witnessed its brother, the QWERTY slider known as the Rise, make it through the government's hallowed halls. While it doesn't give us any information as to the phone's destination or any additional specs, we at least know it's one step closer to possibly getting some play time on a CDMA carrier's shelves. As a refresher, the Rise (also known as the C5155) features a Qualcomm MSM8655 SoC with a 1GHz CPU, a 3.5-inch 480 x 320 IPS LCD panel, a 3.2-megapixel camera with LED flash and a 1,500 mAh battery. Oh, and a lightly-skinned version of Android 4.0. Hopefully we'll see this show up on a prepaid lineup near you sometime this summer, but we'll keep you posted as we hear more.

Samsung might have been right when it said lawyers didn't design the Galaxy S III, because it's in legal hot water again. Apple has moved to add the new Android 4.0 flagship to the same request for a preliminary US ban that would stop the Galaxy Nexus. Cupertino believes the Galaxy S III violates at least two patents, one the data tapping patent that's also being leveled against HTC and the other a unified search patent that covers Siri; not surprisingly, Apple isn't keen on that strangely recognizable S Voice interface. A hearing was already scheduled for June 7th and is now taking on a new sense of urgency, at least in Apple's mind: it's arguing that the rumored nine million pre-orders (still unconfirmed) are evidence of the potential damage if the US court lets the dispute slide. Samsung has already said that the injunction call won't affect its rapidly approaching US launches. The company had better hope it's right, or it risks disappointing a lot of early pre-order customers.

Typing with thumbs on glass can often prove to be as fruitful as talking to an actual wall. That is to say, both are an exercise in frustration. Yet, with smartphone adoption continuing to climb, that method of touchscreen input is only going to become more pervasive. Good thing, then, that companies like Tactus Technology are working on a scifi-seeming haptic solution that should catapult the wireless industry into true innovation and bring back some much needed tactile feedback. To spur this, the company's crafted a prototype Android slate in conjunction with Touch Revolution, shown off at this week's SID 2012, that shapeshifts from flatscreen to physical button layout and back as needed. The screen, which would reportedly add no extra thickness to future tablet or phone displays, makes use of microfluidic tech to make those disappearing UIs possible. So, forget about quad-cores and the 2GB RAM spec race, this is where those next-gen flagships ought to be headed. Click on past the break to marvel at a demo of this dynamic interface in action.

While Gigabyte was grabbing headlines at Computex with its world's lightest Ultrabook, the Taiwanese firm was also sneaking out a gaggle of new phones. Four new models, in fact, all of them Android 4.0, all of them dual-SIM. The rest of the specifications are a mixed bag, with the Gigabyte GSmart M1420 winning the camera wars, with an 8-megapixel shooter, backed up with a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 display and 1GHz MT6575 MediaTek processor. A lower specification M1320 was also announced which is more of the same, but with a smaller, 3.5-inch, display and weaker 3-megapixel snapper. The GSmart G1362 might be more interesting if 4.3 inches is a must, and Snapdragon's your thing (1GHz), but you'll lose 3 megapixels on the camera compared to the GSmart M1420 as a trade. Finally the GSmart G1342 which only packs in 800MHz (Qualcomm) and 3.5-inches of display. There's scant detail on price and availability at the moment, but have a sift through the source link if you want the blow-by-blow breakdown, and head to our Chinese site to get a hands-on with the G1342 and G1362.

There's an oft-used idiom about small packages, which frequently doesn't apply to the world of technology. That's to say that a diminished form factor often doesn't bring the "best things" with it. For example, Sony's NXT family members, revealed between CES and MWC, gifted consumers with the choice of three new handsets: the Xperia P, S and U. The last one in that list is by far the smallest, and in congruence with the general trend of mobile technology, the most lightly armored.

However, we're not ones to make assumptions, and heaven forbid we pre-judge something based on size alone. We're as willing to be surprised as anyone, and the new baby of the Sony bunch is as likely a candidate as any to throw us a curveball. Our initial impressions in Barcelona were largely positive, so this review -- as the firm says on its marketing material for the phone -- is all about (the Xperia) U.

Sony Xperia U review

Samsung's business virtually revolves around open-source code and Linux, both through obvious software like Android and Tizen as well as behind-the-scenes code for TVs and even home appliances. It almost shouldn't be a surprise, then, that the company just became a Platinum-level member of the Linux Foundation, giving it much more control over how the platform advances. The favor is being returned in kind, both through a $500,000 cash injection as well as a Samsung pledge to become a better open-source neighbor. Any long-term plans of Samsung's are being kept under wraps, but going to the Platinum tier puts it at a rare level enjoyed only by the likes of core Linux supporters like IBM, Intel and Oracle -- it's even higher than Google.

There was a Google event today, but you'd hardly know it based on the Q&A session. Question and question was hurled at Brian McClendon -- Vice President of Engineering for Google Maps -- surrounding Apple. With discussion around Apple's desire to introduce a mapping system of its own in iOS 6 to unseat Google from its preloaded app selection, Peter fielded lots of inquiries on the matter. He did an admirable job of dodging the obviously asinine bits, but continued to impress upon the crowd that Google itself was "committed" to bringing all of the features in Maps -- 3D, offline, turn-by-turn, etc. -- to iOS and other platforms.

That was largely in response to a question as to why Google Maps Navigation for Android was so superior to Maps on iOS, but honestly, it's hard to know where the truth sits. We've heard that politics have kept the two sides from coming to terms, but it's pretty clear that Google's more than happy to bring its world-class mapping platform to other mobile operating systems... so long as terms are agreeable, naturally. The good news is that 3D maps will be coming to Android and iOS "in the coming weeks," which makes one wonder if iOS 6 will be available for some time. As for offline on iOS? Your guess is as good as ours, but it sure sounds as if the ball's in Apple's court. Can't we just all play nice, guys?

Relive the memories in our liveblog... right here!

The idea of creating a full-fledged laptop companion to a smartphone isn't new -- just ask the former Palm team -- but rarely has it come across as so pretty. Clamcase's upcoming Clambook, while it has more than a slight hint of MacBook Air about it, is really meant as a large canvas of sight and sound for an Android phone or iPhone. Although the Clambook can at least be used as a big, 16:9 ratio display for an iPhone, the emphasis is clearly on more Google-inclined users that can use an MHL port: the one cable provides audio, video, power, an Android 4.0-native keyboard and a multi-touch trackpad. More recent Motorola phone owners might get the most out of it, since Webtop's full-size Firefox browser and windowed interface will kick in without needing one of Motorola's proprietary docks. We're still waiting on many basic details, like exact device support and the all-important matter of pricing, but the Clamcase should be ready for supersized Real Racing sessions by the holidays.

Qualcomm has revealed that it's developing a new mobile radio that'll operate across multiple LTE bands. While dreams of a cross-network standard were burned to the ground last July, the chip company revealed that the MSM-8960 will connect to three frequencies below 1GHz and four above. Qualcomm has said that the hardware will make its way into handsets by the end of the year at the same time it voiced opposition to the FCC's plan to standardize the lower 700MHz band -- something the smaller networks feel is necessary to prevent them being squeezed out by the big three.

Apple chief Tim Cook might have said that he doesn't like lawsuits, but he must have left a loophole open for International Trade Commission disputes. His company quietly filed a third challenge against HTC on June 4th (just now coming to light) that -- surprise -- claims HTC is still violating patents that it supposedly worked hard to avoid. If successful, Apple would slap down 29 devices that include a much more modern set of hardware than the first two disputes, including the One X (and EVO 4G LTE), One S and One V. Apple had success in December with the final results of its first ITC complaint and may simply be rolling the dice to try for more. Whatever throw Apple lands, there's no doubt that HTC and its fans are exasperated at the thought of more launch delays, or worse.

To date, the term smartphone's mostly been a misnomer for larger screen, albeit still dumb, handsets imbued with rich web browsing experiences. With the exception of the Galaxy S III's SmartStay feature and the Droid RAZR, not many other high-end devices can lay claim to "intelligent," user-adaptive behavior. Which is why our eyes are trained on this recently awarded Google patent that stands poised to turn future Android (we presume) devices into location-aware assistants. Originally submitted back in September of 2011, the USPTO filings describe a software-based profile alarm that seems eerily reminiscent of Motorola's own Smart Actions -- a fitting appropriation given the just wrapped acquisition. Using a combination of GPS and network address data, as well as prior travel habits, the system outlined in the docs would ping a user with tailored mobile profiles configured with contextually relevant settings, information and apps. Effectively, your phone would become the ultimate personal assistant, pandering to your on-the-go needs without the irritating need for praise and positive feedback. That's if this software ever makes it out of Google's IP stronghold and into the light of day.

Some phone makers carve their own path, others ride on their coattails. Konka, however, somehow carves its own coattails, and we admire the ingenuity. The Shenzhen-based mobile maker, known for its familiar designs and logo font, has just announced that, going forward, its smartphones will be using the 3D Kanzi UI from Rightware -- as formally seen on ZTE handsets. So does this complete the trifecta of design flattery? The Kanzi interface can be seen in action in the video after the break, but if you weren't sure how 3D it was, then there's a PR after that too, which might mention it. Just a few times.

It's no secret that Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 SoC is among the most compelling of mobile architectures on the planet today. It delivers fantastic performance and good battery life, but an unsung hero that allows for both characteristics is its excellent efficiency. Based on a new 28nm fabrication process, not only is the Snapdragon S4 faster than most mobile processors, but it also runs a lot cooler. Naturally, one way to prove this is with thermal imagery. We've always suspected there's something in the water near San Diego, however, and the following video damn near proves it. While we'd hate to give away the surprise, just know that Qualcomm engineers have officially thrown down the gauntlet... even if it happens to be rather high in saturated fat.

Corning and its Gorilla Glass might get most of the press, but SCHOTT claims that it, not the 160-year-old New York-based manufacturer, makes the toughest sheets for smartphones. The German company launched Xensation Cover Glass, a break and scratch-resistant alumino-silicate, at SID. Originally announced last year, the material had to undergo stringent testing from potential customers before being brought to market. Now Xensation is ready to make its debut in consumer products, which should start shipping in the third quarter of 2012. Unfortunately, SCHOTT wouldn't divulge who might be making those products, but it did take the opportunity to brag that Xensation has a 20 percent higher bending strength than "competitor glass types." Which means future phones featuring the panels might be a bit less shatter-prone than some currently popular offerings. Want more? There's an anti-glare version for all you gloss-hating types. Check out the PR and promo video after the break.

Well what do we have here? Yes, it's the Orange San Diego we first saw at Mobile World Congress and it's going on sale in the UK today for £200. This isn't just yet another Android smartphone, but one of the first Medfield-based handsets on the market. We caught this pre-production unit chilling out at the Intel booth here at Computex 2012 and decided to go up close and personal. First impressions? It's thin, light and feels great in the hand thanks to a pleasant soft-touch back. The Gigabyte-made device packs a 4-inch glass-capacitive 1024x600-pixel LCD (that's 300dpi), an 8-megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z2460 CPU, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage.

While the screen looks decent enough, it falls somewhere in the middle of the pack in terms of viewing angles. The phone features Android 2.3.7 (Gingerbread) and runs most apps from the Google Play store directly via an emulation layer. Performance matched prior benchmarks and was on-par with current mid-range ARM-based Android handsets -- the experience was mostly smooth, but we noticed some lag when scrolling and zooming pages in the web browser. Battery life remains the major outstanding question when it comes to Medfield handsets, so expect more details once we have our very own review unit. In the meantime, check out the gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video.

Orange San Diego hands-on

Nokia first rolled out its Asha line of feature phones last October, and now it's rolling out the new devices with touchscreen interfaces that we saw leaked manuals for recently. The Asha Touch device range includes the Asha 305, Asha 306 and Asha 311 (pictured above) phones that all have 3-inch screens and run the Asha Touch UI. They all also pack the Nokia Browser 2.0 and free games from EA. The 305 and 306 are WQVGA resistive touch screen devices, with 2MP cameras and GPRS/EDGE connectivity, while the 305 brings Nokia's Easy Swap dual-SIM capability to bear and the 306 features WiFi. The 311 has a capacitive glass screen, HSPA modem, 1GHz CPU and 3.2MP camera. The Asha 305 is supposed to ship in Q2 for about $85 US, while the 306 and 311 are due in the third quarter for $93 and $121, respectively. Check the press release and videos after the break for a closer look at the phones and details on local availability.

Nokia Asha Touch 305 and 306

Good news for those who like music on-the-go, Ford had just added a new heavy hitter to its AppLink platform, and this time it comes from none other than MOG. The streaming service boasts a catalog of 15 million tracks, which is available to mobile devices for a monthly subscription fee of $9.99. With the Ford SYNC integration, users may access this vast library either through voice commands or in-dash controls, and as another nice touch, one's music queue will automatically resume from wherever they left off. Voice commands include "artist only" and "similar artists," along with "downloads" for situations when you aren't able to stream and "shuffle favorites." Finally, users may also create presets based on what's currently playing, simply by pressing and holding one of the in-dash preset buttons. This availability is solely for iOS users, but if you'd like to learn more, check the full PR after the break.

MOG music streaming for Ford SYNC AppLink

Heavy hitters across several industries have tried to find the perfect balance between the old and the new to breathe some life into what's been described as a dying medium. Layar "wants to make the world clickable" with its augmented reality software and doesn't plan on letting paper-based media go the way of paying for long distance or total privacy. Instead, it's opted to fully welcome it into this brave new digital world by letting publishers embed videos and interactive buttons onto existing printed materials. A mobile app can then display superimposed content that pops right up on the page when viewed through a device's camera. The new web app, Layar Creator, is free if you can get your stuff published and all Layared up before August 1st, but if you're a procrastinator, a 100-page bundle will run €999 ($1,242), or €15 ($18.65) per page. You can see the Layar Creator and AR app in full effect right after the break.